Milia, a common condition of the skin, cause bumps to appear under someone’s eyes or on their cheeks. While other conditions can cause similar itch-free, painless, and benign bumps, “milia” is the name that comes up more than others. For cosmetic reasons, however, many people understandably want to see them gone. To do this, you can try eliminating the bumps through medical treatment or an at-home, DIY method. To get a better idea of what milia bumps entail, here’s a thorough look into what milia bumps are as well as what can be done about them in terms of treatment.
What are Milia Bumps?
These benign bumps are often small, white bumps on the skin, which surface whenever dead skin cells (or keratin) get trapped beneath the skin or at the base of sweat glands and hair follicles. They differ considerably from clogged pores, as newborns and children can be affected as much as adults, and milia bumps contain pus whereas whitehead acne doesn’t.
Milia bumps also differ from the skin disease dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPN). While the bumps that these conditions cause are both smooth and firm to the touch, milia bumps have white or yellow domes while DPN bumps are brown or black in color. They also differ in size, with milia bumps being between one and two millimeters long and DPN bumps being between one and five millimeters.
Are Milia Bumps Harmful?
Typically, milia bumps aren’t considered harmful, but it’s better to be completely sure. With this in mind, you can go to your doctor’s office, where they can perform a biopsy and confirm the bumps’ non-cancerous nature. You may leave them alone or have them removed, but the decision is yours.
How Do I Remove Milia Bumps?
Milia bumps can be removed surgically through your doctor, with some procedures including cryotherapy, deroofing, and laser ablation. You can also try a few DIY methods at home, some of which include the following:
- Exfoliating and Cleaning the Skin: As previously explained, these bumps happen because of excess dead skin cells. To deal with this, you must clean and exfoliate the skin regularly in order to rid the skin of the accumulated keratin. Milia bumps should start disappearing as the keratin begins dissipating.
- Steaming the Skin: Steaming is another method for ridding the skin of milia bumps. Try accumulating steam during a hot shower, as it should help in treating the bumps.
- Manuka Honey or Rose Water: You might also try applying spritz rose water or Manuka honey to the affected skin, as these ingredients allegedly possess the anti-inflammatory properties necessary to help alleviate milia bumps.
Milia bumps are typically harmless occurrences that can be easily removed through a medical procedure or at home. Until you remove them, however, remember to avoid poking or prodding them, as this could scar, irritate, or even infect the bumps.
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